(19)
(11) EP 1 378 821 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
21.04.2004 Bulletin 2004/17

(43) Date of publication A2:
07.01.2004 Bulletin 2004/02

(21) Application number: 03254190.6

(22) Date of filing: 01.07.2003
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: G06F 7/72, H04L 9/32
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PT RO SE SI SK TR
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK

(30) Priority: 05.07.2002 GB 0215590

(71) Applicant: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Houston, Texas 77070 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Chen, Liqun
    Bradley Stoke, Bristol BS32 9DQ (GB)
  • Harrison, Keith Alexander
    Chepstow, Monmouthshire NP16 7PX (GB)
  • Soldera, David
    Horfield, Bristol BS7 8PQ (GB)

(74) Representative: Squibbs, Robert Francis et al
Hewlett-Packard Limited, IP Section, Building 3 Filton Road
Stoke Gifford, Bristol BS 34 8QZ
Stoke Gifford, Bristol BS 34 8QZ (GB)

   


(54) Authentication method and apparatus using pairing functions for the elliptic curves based cryptosystems


(57) A first party (60) has a first (s1) and a second (P,RTA1) cryptographic key. A second party (70) has a third ("TA2") and a fourth (s1QTA2) cryptographic key, the fourth cryptographic key (s1QTA2) being derived from the first (s1) and third ("TA2") cryptographic keys thereby providing an association between the parties (60,70). To enable a third party (90) to verify the existence of an association between the first and second parties (60,70), the second party generates a number (r) that in association with the second cryptographic key (P,RTA1), the third cryptographic key ("TA2") and the fourth (s1QTA2) cryptographic key define a first cryptographic parameter (X), a second cryptographic parameter (Y) and a third cryptographic parameter (Z) respectively. By using these parameters and the second and third cryptographic keys, the third party (90) can verify if the first and second parties (60,70) are associated.






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